Postulant

Postulant

A Postulant (from the Latin "postulare", to ask) was originally one who makes a request or demand; hence, a candidate. Its use is now generally restricted to those asking for admission into a monastery or a convent, both before actual admission and for the length of time proceeding their admission into the novitiate. [CathEncy|wstitle=Postulant] It is also used to describe the ecclesiastical status of a person who has discerned a call to the priesthood and received parish and diocesan endorsement. The candidate retains postulant status throughout seminary, until ordination to the transitional diaconate takes place. The term is more common in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches; the Orthodox tend to avoid Latin terminology.

The length of time that a prospective monastic remains a postulant may vary depending on the monastery, the particular monastic order, or the postulant's individual situation. During this time, the postulant generally participates as fully as possible in the life of the community, joining the novices and professed monks for work and prayer. Since typically no vows are taken at this stage, it is easier for a person not fully certain about the monastic life to reexamine their intentions and commitment before taking vows as a novice.

In Theravada Buddhist monasticism, a postulant is called an anagarika (Pali: "without a house").

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • postulant — postulant, ante [ pɔstylɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] n. • 1495; de postuler 1 ♦ Personne qui postule une place, un emploi. ⇒ candidat, prétendant. Il y a plus de postulants que d emplois. Postulant à un emploi. 2 ♦ (XVIIe) Personne qui demande à entrer en religion …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • postulant — POSTULÁNT, Ă, postulanţi, te, s.m. şi f. (Rar) Persoană care cere un post2 (1), o slujbă; solicitator, aspirant. – Din fr. postulant. Trimis de oprocopiuc, 04.04.2004. Sursa: DEX 98  POSTULÁNT s. v. solicitant, solicitator. Trimis de siveco,… …   Dicționar Român

  • Postulant — • A preliminary stage to the novitiate existing from the institution of monasticism. Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Postulant     Postulant      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • postulant — postulant, ante (po stu lan, lan t ) s. m. et f. 1°   Celui, celle qui postule, qui sollicite avec instance. •   De plusieurs fonctions postulant rejeté, Il se vante aussi, lui, de n avoir rien été, AL. DUVAL Manie des grand. I, 3. 2°   Personne… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • postulant — 1759, from Fr. postulant, from L. postulantem (nom. postulans), prp. of postulare (see POSTULATE (Cf. postulate)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • postulant — postùlant (postulȁnt) m <G mn nātā> DEFINICIJA kat. pripravnik za redovnički stalež u razdoblju provjere, prije primanja u novicijat ETIMOLOGIJA vidi postulat …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • postulant — Postulant, [postul]ante. subst. Celuy qui demande avec instance, qui insiste pour obtenir quelque chose. Il y avoit plusieurs Postulants pour cette Charge. Il se dit plus particulierement de celuy ou de celle qui postule pour obtenir une place… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Postulant — Pos tu*lant (?; 135), n. [F., fr. L. postulans, p. pr. of postulare. See {Postulate}.] One who makes a request or demand; hence, a candidate. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Postulant — (v. lat.), ein Ansuchender, Bewerber …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Postulánt — (lat.), Ansucher, Bewerber …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • postulant — index claimant Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”